


Sol 5352

by Newtondale



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, this is a fic about the Opportunity rover and I won't apologise for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 06:09:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17782046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Newtondale/pseuds/Newtondale
Summary: Millions of miles away, Opportunity's battery is failing, and no one can reach her.No one, that is, except a sentimental fallen angel.





	Sol 5352

**Author's Note:**

> I've been crying all morning about Opportunity, and this was incredibly therapeutic.

He’s supposed to be saving his grace — but he can’t. Not now. 

 

It’s careless. Treacherous. Even at the height of Heaven’s power, interplanetary travel in a vessel has always been ill-advised. The human body isn’t made to survive in the freezing vacuum of deep space, even with all the power of Seraph burning inside. And he no longer has all the power of a Seraph. Barely a sliver of it.  

 

Even when he was God, a trip to Mars would’ve been exhausting. Now — now it takes _everything._

 

His landing isn’t pretty. He hits the ground hard, stumbles, and rolls against foreign rock. It’s a crash landing, he’s not too proud to admit it. He lies for a second in self-pity before righting himself, then he’s scanning the horizons — brand new horizons — and he sees her. 

 

Opportunity.

 

She’s a little way off, a few kilometres away perhaps. Not his most accurate landing, but not bad for a 55 million kilometre journey. On Earth, he could hop the short distance in an instant, but he’s tired. He can barely feel the hum of grace inside him. Besides, he needs this. He walks. Places one foot in front of the other, lets the crunch of rock beneath his shoes keep him grounded. He’s like any other human — any other human, walking along the untrodden surface of Mars. 

 

The walk isn’t any more strenuous than it would be on Earth. Once, he wouldn’t have even thought to notice, but he does now. His time amongst humans has taught him all the perks of being an angel. Even one as damaged as he is now.

 

Despite himself, he feels his heart ache as he draws closer. They are the same, he thinks; alone, a long way from home. Trying to do good with so little guidance in a world so unfamiliar. 

 

“Hello,” he whispers, as he reaches out to brush her frame. He draws a sharp breath through his teeth at at the touch of cold metal, as if it effects him. As if he could breathe. He rests his hand on her head — her camera. Lets the cold seep into him, shivers as he lets himself imagine it bothers him. 

 

He wants to fix this. Wants to warm her engine, wipe the dust from her panels, watch her drive off over rough terrain. But he can’t. He can’t interfere. This, right here, is history. Is just one of the many losses humanity will suffer in their journey to the stars. She is insignificant — but he knows that’s not true. 

 

“They will find you,” he promises, though she cannot hear him and he has no proof. “One day, they will find you again.” 

 

Humanity is too sentimental. Too hopeful. And he has been among them too long, because now he feels it too. Feels their sorrow, their guilt, for this lonely little rover. They have done everything the can to reach this her, and now it’s time to let her go. 

 

With a sigh, he collapses into the dirt beside her. Leans against her wheel, lets the ridges dig into his back, muddy his coat. Lets the faint hum of her engine comfort him, as he wishes his presence could comfort her, too. 

 

He sits, long after his grace recovers. He can feel the warmth beneath his skin again, knows he’s strong enough to make the journey home, but he sits. Waits. Waits until the fading sun burns the sky bright blue, like a summer’s evening on Earth. Until the light fades and leaves them both in near-darkness, with stars speckling the midnight sky. Until he can hear her weary engine stutter, flickering out into oblivion. 

 

He’s alone. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Goodbye, lil rover. 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _I'll find you in the morning sun_  
>  _And when the night is new_  
>  _I'll be looking at the moon_  
>  _But I'll be seeing you_  
> 


End file.
